Artificial smoke cigarette

• US 20080230052A1
• Filed: 03/22/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pierre Denain, Richard Dolsey
• Original Assignee: Pierre Denain, Richard Dolsey
• Inventors: Montaser, Akbar
• Granted Patent: US 7,845,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/002 by flow deviation causing inertial separation of transported particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/02 operated by air or other gas pressure applied to the liquid or other product to be sprayed or atomised sprayers for horticulture A01G, A01H; killing insects A01M; air humidifying by nozzles F24F6/14, F24F6/18; cooling by spraying F28B, F28C
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0015 located upstream of the dispenser, i.e. not traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0016 located downstream of the dispenser, i.e. traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/06 Inhaling appliances shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/825 using mechanical generation of electricity, e.g. hand cranked generators

Abstract

An artificial cigarette, inhaler or other nebulizer device may include a housing, an air passage into the housing, a fog generator chamber within the housing connected to the air passage, a liquid source connected to the fog generating chamber, and a fog generator within the fog generating chamber for receiving liquid from the liquid source and creating an aerosol. The fog generator may be an ultrasonic nebulizer and/or a pneumatic nebulizer.

Claims

1. A nebulizer apparatus comprising:

a housing,

an air passage into the housing,

a fog generator chamber within the housing connected to the air passage,

a liquid source connected to the fog generating chamber, and

a fog generator within the fog generating chamber for receiving liquid from the liquid source and creating an aerosol.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fog generator is an ultrasonic nebulizer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic nebulizer comprises a piezoelectric surface on a flat transducer.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a power supply for powering the ultrasonic nebulizer.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising one or more heat sinks for dissipating heat within the nebulizer apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fog generator is a pneumatic nebulizer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pneumatic nebulizer is a glass frit.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a compressed air supply for creating a pressure differential across the pneumatic nebulizer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more air flow sensors for sensing movement of air through the air passage.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a liquid valve disposed between the liquid source and the fog generating chamber controlled by the one or more air flow sensors.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a compressed air supply for creating a pressure differential across the fog generator, the compressed air supply controlled by the one or more air flow sensors.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a power supply for powering the fog generator, the power supply controlled by the one or more air flow sensors.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mouthpiece.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a baffle for preventing large aerosol droplets from exiting the fog generating chamber.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fog chamber valve for closing the fog generating chamber during exhalation into the nebulizer apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more aerosol exits connected to the air passage for directing exhaled air out of the nebulizer apparatus.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising one or more valves for closing the one or more aerosol exits during inhalation and opening the one or more aerosol exits during exhalation.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises a pharmacological active agent.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the fog generator is a pneumatic nebulizer.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the pneumatic nebulizer is a glass frit.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising creating a pressure differential across the pneumatic nebulizer with a compressed air supply.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing movement of air through the air passage with one or more air flow sensors.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising controlling a liquid valve disposed between the liquid source and the fog generating chamber with the one or more air flow sensors.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising controlling a compressed air supply for creating a pressure differential across the fog generator with the one or more air flow sensors.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising controlling a power supply for powering the fog generator with the one or more air flow sensors.

19. An artificial cigarette apparatus comprising:

a housing,

an air passage into the housing,

a fog generator chamber within the housing connected to the air passage,

a liquid source connected to the fog generating chamber,

a fog generator within the fog generating chamber for receiving liquid from the liquid source and creating an aerosol,

a baffle for preventing large aerosol droplets from exiting the fog generating chamber,

a fog chamber valve for closing the fog generating chamber during exhalation into the nebulizer apparatus,

one or more aerosol exits connected to the air passage for directing exhaled air out of the nebulizer apparatus, and

one or more valves for closing the one or more aerosol exits during inhalation and opening the one or more aerosol exits during exhalation.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the fog generator is a piezoelectric surface on a flat transducer.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the fog generator is a glass frit.

22. A nebulizer method comprising:

providing a nebulizer apparatus comprising a housing, an air passage into the housing, a fog generator chamber within the housing connected to the air passage, a liquid source connected to the fog generating chamber, and a fog generator within the fog generating chamber for receiving liquid from the liquid source and creating an aerosol,

fluidly contacting the air passage with a user’

s mouth,

inhaling through the nebulizer apparatus, and

wherein the inhaling activates the fog generator.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the fog generator is an ultrasonic nebulizer.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the ultrasonic nebulizer comprises a piezoelectric surface on a flat transducer.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising powering the ultrasonic nebulizer with a power supply.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising dissipating heat within the nebulizer apparatus with one or more heat sinks.

34. The method of claim 22, wherein the nebulizer apparatus further comprises a mouthpiece.

35. The method of claim 22, further comprising preventing large aerosol droplets from exiting the fog generating chamber with a baffle.

36. The method of claim 22, further comprising exhaling at least partially through the nebulizer apparatus.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising closing the fog generating chamber during exhalation into the nebulizer apparatus with a fog chamber valve.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising directing exhaled air out of the nebulizer apparatus with one or more aerosol exits connected to the air passage.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising closing the one or more aerosol exits during inhalation and opening the one or more aerosol exits during exhalation with one or more valves.

40. The method of claim 22, wherein the liquid comprises a pharmacological active agent.